LONDON Day 3

Starting Point: Buckingham Palace

Buckingham Palace is the London residence and administrative headquarters of the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. The building at the core of today’s palace was a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703 on a site that had been in private ownership for at least 150 years. It was acquired by King George III in 1761 as a private residence for Queen Charlotte and became known as “The Queen’s House”. During the 19th century it was enlarged with the addition of three wings around a central courtyard. Buckingham Palace became the London residence of the British monarch on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837. During summer months, when the monarch is not in residence, the staterooms are open for tours.

Directions: Take the Piccadilly Line to Hyde Park Corner. From there, walk through the circular road and down Constitution Hill. Alternatively, you can take the Jubilee, Piccadilly, or Victoria Line to Green Park. From there, walk south through the actual Green Park to Buckingham Palace. A third option would be to take the Circle or District Lines to St James Park. From there, walk… and take a left on Birdcage Walk. You may also need to walk down Petty France and take a right on Buckingham Gate, depending on the gates.

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Harrods

Harrods is an upmarket department store that occupies a 5-acre site and has 330 departments covering one million square feet of retail space.

London 2013 - 197 - Version 2 cropped — *Hours & Visitor’s Information Floor Plan*

Directions: Walk west on Constitution Hill. Take a left on Grosvenor Place. Take a right on Halkin Street, walk past Belgrave Square and continue on West Halkin Street. Stop at Pierre Herme. Continue on Cadogan Place. Take a right on Sloane Street and a left on Hans Crescent to Harrods.

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Victoria & Albert Museum

The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) is the world’s largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of more than 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

Albert Memorial

The Albert Memorial is situated in Kensington Gardens, London, directly to the north of the Royal Albert Hall. It was commissioned by Queen Victoria in memory of her beloved husband Prince Albert, who died in 1861.

Kensington Palace

Kensington Palace is a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens. It has been a residence of the British Royal Family since the 17th century. Notable former residents include King William III, Queen Mary II, and Queen Victoria.

Today, the State Rooms are open to the public.

Directions: Walk through Hyde Park to Kensington Palace. If time permits, you can visit several of London’s top museums by going left from Harrods on Brompton Road, veering right on Cromwell Road and taking a right on Exhibition Road. Otherwise, the museums could be saved for a day of their own.

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